NC leaders defend impeachment motion

The impeachment motion co-sponsored by NC was not aimed against the judiciary but against a justice whose delivery of justice was questioned in various quarters.

-- Ramesh Lekhak

KATHMANDU, May 2: Nepal Congress (NC) General Secretary Shashank Koirala has said that the NC had co-sponsored impeachment motion against Chief Justice Sushila Karki after her impartiality in delivering justice was increasingly questioned.

Addressing a regular press briefing organized by the party's central publicity coordination sub-committee at the NC headquarters in Sanepa on Monday, Koirala maintained that NC top leadership had decided to register impeachment motion against Karki to ensure the independence of judiciary.

Altogether 249 lawmakers from ruling the NC and the CPN (Maoist Center) had registered impeachment motion against Chief Justice Karki on Sunday. “What we want is an independent and unbiased judiciary. Our leadership took the decision to achieve this,” said Koirala. He said that NC remains committed to independent, free, dignified and effective judiciary.

Also speaking on the occasion, NC leader Ramesh Lekhak said NC fully adheres to fundamental principles of democracy. “Our belief in a judiciary based on independence, impartiality and dignity is firm. We are equally committed to the principle of separation of powers,” he said.

Lekhak said that the impeachment motion co-sponsored by NC was not aimed against the judiciary but against a justice whose delivery of justice was questioned in various quarters. Arguing that jurisdictions of judiciary, executive and legislative bodies of the government have been clearly stated in constitution, Lekhak argued that none of these bodies should breach the jurisdiction of one another.

Lekhak also criticized Karki for breaching the jurisdiction of the executive in the appointment of new police chief. He accused Karki of interfering with the jurisdiction of the executive, promoting factionalism in the court and failing to deliver justice in an independent manner, among other things.

NC leader Krishna Sitaula said that parliament will settle the impeachment motion.